SPORTS DIGEST:TENNIS: Barry King and James McGee have qualified for the semi-finals of the Green Property Men's Irish Open.
Due to heavy rain throughout yesterday, the tournament at Fitzwilliam LTC in Dublin was forced indoors at 3pm and McGee was first out on court where he faced British player Marcus Willis.
After a tight opening set, the Castleknock man turned up the heat in a big way, breaking the Liverpool FC supporter twice in the second set en route to a 7-5 6-2 victory.
McGee faces second-seed Miloslav Mecir, who recorded a 6-4 6-2 win yesterday over number five-seed France's Fabrice Martin.
Later in the evening, Davis Cup hero Barry King continued his recent good form when he defeated the number four seed Michael Look 4-6 6-3 7-6 (6)
King will now face French man Charles-Antoine Brezac in the semi-final stage, after he beat fellow country man, and seventh seed, Albano Olivetti yesterday, 7-6 (9/7) 6-3.
Webber and Vettel 'still free to race'
MOTOR SPORT: RED Bull's Mark Webber has said he and Sebastian Vettel are "still free to race" despite the Australian being ordered to stay behind Vettel in the last laps of the British Grand Prix two weeks ago.
Team orders were made legal again in Formula One this year and the incident at Silverstone was the first time they have come into play this season. Webber said he had ignored instructions and continued to try to pass Vettel.
However, during preparations for the German Grand Prix Webber confirmed he had spoken to the team principal, Christian Horner.
“I put my case forward in how the situation built and we thought that we were both making the right decision – him to make the call for the team’s interest and I was in a situation where I was trying to improve my own position,” Webber said.
“We are still free to race most of the time. It was an awkward one and it is not often that things like that happen.”
Ward expecting medals for Irish
BOXING:EUROPEAN Senior and World Youth champ Joe Ward believes Ireland's young prospects can bring home medals from the second AIBA World Junior Championships in Kazakhstan.
A record-breaking 52 nations including Ireland have registered to compete at the Championships which glove off at the Sports Palace in Astana tomorrow.
“Irish boxing is on a high and the Irish squad definitely have the ability to win medals in Astana,” said Ward, who boxes out of the Moate BC in Westmeath.
“We win medals at every international tournament we enter and the confidence is sky high.We have a talented squad in Kazakhstan and I’m confident that they will do well out there.”
Meanwhile, Ireland, England, Italy and Scotland clash in a Youth Round Robin tournament at the National Stadium in Dublin this weekend. Ireland meet Italy tonight, England on Saturday afternoon and Scotland on Sunday morning.
Champion Robertson goes out on final black in Bendigo
SNOOKER:Home favourite and 2010 world champion Neil Robertson crashed out of the Australian Open in Bendigo yesterday after a tense clash with Wales' Dominic Dale.
A battle lasting close to four hours was decided on the final black as Dale set up a quarter-final against compatriot Mark Williams.
Williams booked his place in the quarter-finals with a comfortable 5-2 win over David Gilbert.
Mark Allen and Stuart Bingham showed no inclination to bury the hatchet following their UK Championship feud after they set up a renewal of hostilities.
Northern Ireland’s Allen made it into the last eight with a 5-1 win over Scotland’s Marcus Campbell.
“There’s a bit of history between us. We don’t get on,” Allen said of Bingham. “He said about getting revenge on Ding (Junhui) for his Crucible defeat but it would be nice to send him back where he belongs.”
Bingham, who beat Tom Ford 5-0, was also happy to stoke the fire. “I can’t wait to play this match. It will give me more pleasure to beat him.”
Another grudge match is already out of the way, with Ken Doherty punishing Liang Wenbo for his World Cup sartorial blunder with a 5-4 win yesterday.
The 41-year-old angrily insisted Liang should have been docked the frame for forgetting his bow-tie during his quarter-final clash with Doherty’s team-mate Fergal O’Brien in Bangkok.
Doherty will face Mark Selby, who scrapped past Mark Davis, 5-3.
Bowtell eases into second round
TENNIS:IRELAND'S Amy Bowtell yesterday reeled off her third victory on the trot as she eased into the second round of the ITF Women's Circuit event in Wrexham.
After two wins in the qualifying round, Bowtell overwhelmed Briton Abbi Melrose 6-2 6-1 in the opening round in the North Wales outdoor hardcourt tournament.
But the 731-ranked Greystones player faces a massive task to make the quarter-finals, as today she faces third seed Marta Sirotkina of Russia, who is world 263.
Julia Moriarty, ranked at 744, bowed out 6-1 6-0 to Spain’s Garbine Muguruza-Blanco.
Mills’ PB sees her into 400m final
ATHLETICS:JOANNE Mills provided the Irish team with an excellent start to the European Junior Athletics Championships in Tallinn yesterday when she ran a lifetime best to qualify for the 400m final, writes IAN O'RIORDAN.
The 18-year-old from Ballymena AC clocked 53.89 seconds, well up on left her previous best of 54.20, to. finish third in her semi-final, won by Romanian Bianc Razor in 53.08. Britain’s Lucy James was second in 53.87.
Joan Healy qualified for the semi-final of the 100m as a fastest loser with a time of 12.02. Despite running 11.99 in her semi-final she was eliminated.
Irish walkers Maeve Curley and Emma Prendeville finished well behind Russian Elena Lashmanova, who set a world junior record in winning the 10k event in 42:59.48. Curley’s time was 51:22.84 in finishing 10th, while Prendeville clocked 53:04.07.
Liam Brady from Tullamore had to contend with hot and humid conditions for the 10,000 metres and finished seventh in a time of 32:37.27.
Good news for Ciara Mageean is the 1,500 metres have been cancelled, and that event will now be run as a straight final in Sunday.
